Volkswagen e-up! (2019-2022) review
The Volkswagen e-up! electric city car was given a mid-life nip-and-tuck in 2019, including a bigger battery that substantially improved its range
Pros
- Grown-up driving experience
- Decent real-world range
- Excellent visibility
Cons
- Interior quality not the best
- No infotainment system
- Cable storage is poor
| Car type | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electric | 159 miles | 5hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.2kW) | 48mins (10-80%, 30kW) |
Volkswagen now has a fairly comprehensive line-up of electric vehicles, but the e-up! was one of the first out of the gates back in 2014. Although the latest version of didn't change much externally from the original, the more energy-dense 36.8kWh battery introduced in 2019 was a significant improvement over the previous 18.7kWh one, boosting claimed range up to 159 miles.
While a 0-62mph time of 12 seconds doesn’t sound particularly impressive, the instant torque that the electric motor delivers means the e-up! feels much faster and more fun than you’d expect. For a car of its size, the e-up! is surprisingly spacious inside, but its spartan dashboard feels outdated, with just a basic smartphone cradle instead of a touchscreen infotainment setup.
As is the case with most Volkswagen models, you’ll find build quality is good, but rivals like the Honda e and MINI Electric offer a more upmarket feel and much more kit as standard. That said, those models do come at a far higher price and don’t offer any more practicality or space than the cleverly packaged e-up! does.
Along with its sister models the Skoda Citigo-e iV and SEAT Mii electric, the Volkswagen e-up! has now been discontinued, but any one of the three can make for a good-value secondhand electric-car choice if you're in the market. For a more detailed look at the Volkswagen e-up!, read on for the rest of our in-depth review...
